But…he’ll still be able to sign things, assuming the GOTP Congress gets their shit together.
1 Like
I think PB gives Mueller all the help he wants in the background. Like the way Dusty Springfield (vocals) and John Lennon (vocals, tambourine) anonymously supported Elton on “The Bitch Is Back.” Just.
6 Likes
I agree. For one thing Reagan deregulated the air waves making propaganda factories like Fox News possible. Damage he did can’t be overstated.
14 Likes
And the results of what he did to labor through trade and union busting is basically what Trump ran on.
And Scalia.
11 Likes
Just “appear guilty”?
Would not firing Mueller be obstruction of justice on it’s face?
3 Likes
It’s my understanding that Trump can’t fire Mueller–the new FBI director has to do that? Of course Trump can order Wray to fire Mueller and, if he doesn’t, he can fire Wray and look around for someone who will do the deed. Like Nixon
1 Like
I would have said W, but point taken.
1 Like
Um…no.
Federal regulation states that the termination of a special counsel would have to come from the attorney general’s office.
“The Special Counsel may be disciplined or removed from office only by the personal action of the Attorney General,” the Code of Federal Regulation states.
“The Attorney General may remove a Special Counsel for misconduct, dereliction of duty, incapacity, conflict of interest, or for other good cause, including violation of Departmental policies. The Attorney General shall inform the Special Counsel in writing of the specific reason for his or her removal,” it says.
Since Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself from any Russia-related investigations, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein would then have the authority to remove Mueller.
4 Likes
This was my initial reaction as well. A wealthy man that wears untailored suits, puts scotch tape on his ties and does his hair like that obviously doesn’t care about appearances.
This is about power, full stop. If firing Mueller prevents Trump from facing justice, then he’ll fire Mueller and bull his way through the political problems it creates, just like he’s done from Day 1.
Frighteningly, the only true roadblock to Trump breaking the yolk of law are congressional Republicans. Eventually we are going to need some of them to turn against Trump.
3 Likes
So, none.
4 Likes
Not the FBI director, the Attorney General. Which in this case (because Sessions is “recused”) means Rosenstein, or whoever replaces Rosenstein if he refuses (which I would be fairly sure he would, since he was responsible for Mueller’s appointment in the first place.) And the AG/equivalent has to produce a memo detailing the special counsel’s misconduct before firing them. Thus far they’ve got “he hired democrats” and “he asked for a prorated refund from a trump-operated golf course when he left washington before.”
2 Likes
The sadly funny thing is…none of what Trump is doing or threatening to do - absolutely none of it - should be a surprise. And I’m tired of the term ‘unprecedented actions,’ even though it fits these actions. I prefer ‘actions/statements that would be expected of a man who is trying to hide his guilt of many crimes.’ I know it’s a phrase rather than 1 word, but it fits what we are experiencing daily.
7 Likes
Rod Rosenstein—or his replacement—is the only person who can fire Mueller.
Rosenstein is the asst. AG.
2 Likes
Ya know, you don’t have to be a brilliant lawyer to know that a pardon is an admission of guilt.
2 Likes
One wonders how there could be ANY ‘dirt’ on Mueller, who has been a US Attorney and head of the FBI for so many decades, anything untoward would have surely been found out by now. This is Trump trying to bully Mueller and I don’t think Mueller bullies.
1 Like
Like I said above, one of the things the lawyers at the white house dug up is that he disputed his fees at a trump-owned golf course when he left washington for the private sector. Another thing they’re complaining about is that some of his staff contributed to democrats. How much more dirt do you need?
To my mind, he already appears guilty of a crime. And his firing you, Mr. Bharara, helped that appearance along quite nicely.
2 Likes
It is not a matter of the rule of law “would be under siege.” The rule of law is under siege!
1 Like
This guy was US Attorney in Manhattan from 2009 until 2017. He was the one at Ground Zero of the Great Recession, where the banks, all based in NYC, almost destroyed the US economy. He never indicted even a single one. And now he is telling us how essential he is, how important. What a total asshole. If there is a single person more responsible for Donald Trump’s election, it is Preet Asshold Bharara. Because he let all the banksters keep their money, and not a single one paid for the Great Recession disaster. Millions of homeowners paid and are still paying. Jaime facking Damond is sitting there covered in dollar bills, where he should have been in jail, but Preet Bharara was too busy getting paid off by banksters to lift his left pinkie about the disaster.